As we welcome September, it’s the perfect time to reset and refocus after the summer months. With the return to routines, back-to-school season, and the start of fall around the corner, this is an ideal moment to check in on your group benefits and ensure everything is up to date. Whether it’s reviewing employee information, updating student status, we’re here to help you start the season on the right foot.
For the first time in four years, inflation is expected to ease, but economic volatility continues to affect many regions. The global average medical trend is forecasted at 10.0% in 2025, following 10.1% in 2024—the second consecutive year of double-digit increases and the highest levels in a decade. Regional results vary, with North America rising to 8.8% while other areas show mixed movements. Unlike prior years, there is no consistent trend across regions; however, costs are still expected to climb as utilization grows. Key drivers include inflation, currency depreciation, hyperinflation, and local healthcare dynamics.
To manage these rising costs, employers are turning to strategies such as coinsurance, deductibles, step-care referrals, and integrating wellbeing programs into their benefit plans. Prescription drug costs—particularly GLP-1 therapies—are adding pressure, with estimates of a 1–1.2% increase in Canada alone. Flexible benefits, pooling arrangements, and captive solutions are also gaining traction as organizations seek balance between cost control and employee support. The key takeaway: prioritizing wellbeing is not only a healthcare strategy but also an important tool for attracting and retaining talent. To explore strategies that fit your organization, connect with your benefitsConnect advisor to review options and plan ahead.
Health Canada has approved Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic for a new use: reducing the risk of kidney failure, slowing progression of chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, and lowering deaths from cardiovascular causes in this group. This marks the first approval in Canada for a drug that addresses both diabetes and related kidney disease, expanding Ozempic’s role beyond blood-sugar control to a broader cardio-renal therapy. While the approval is a regulatory milestone that strengthens Novo Nordisk’s position and raises the bar for competitors, real-world impact will depend on provincial reimbursement decisions, pricing pressures, and competition within the GLP-1 space.
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